How about we post some pics and layouts?

[loverocker]

Well, after all this eye candy, maybe it's time for something nasty and dirty... This is the 2xEL84 Liverpool I made in an old WEM 15W amp. It has the WEM's old iron and the 2-row turret layout was made up as I went along (I just stuck to the principle that making sure wires don't cross over the board unless absolutely necessary is A Good Thing).




uh... it actually needs a control panel, but this is my test-bed chassis. But it's so inspiring that I'll get around to making a grown-up Express - in a cab that won't look like trailer trash compared to the beauties you guys have made.

[Wayne Alexander]

Allynmey: I worked from the A1A schematic. I looked at all the layouts over in the download section, but found no complete ones, as you know, and found that I had to check every single wiring connection against the schematic, about 6 times because I'm capable of mistakes. The only variations from A1A so far were that I put a 10ohm power resistor across the shorting lugs of the first speaker jack so there's a load there when nothing is plugged in, and I used the "simplest master volume ever" from the post in this forum. I had to make up my own power supply layout, none of the ones posted at the here would fit in a standard Trainwreck sized chassis. I also had to fool with the bias - I used a really nice 20K bias pot I got at Surplus Sales Of Nebraska with a 10K resistor to get the bias into the right range (around 42mA) with EL34's.

[ricks57custom]

Wayne,
Your amp looks really good. Could you email me? I'm building a different version of that amp and I had a question for you regarding the tubes.

Thanks,
Rick

rheins@fender.com

[HeeBGB]

OK....All the pics are great! I love lookin' at em. What we need now are some sound clips!

I will try to get some clips up as soon as I finish my express...which at the rate I am going should be sometime next year.....nah just kidding. It should be up and running in a few weeks and I will post clips as time permits.

Greg

[gnugear]

Great pics!

Hey Allynmey, what kind of resistors are those yellow ones?

[Allynmey]

They are green!!! Kiwames. Rated at 750V and 1% tol. I get them DIYHIFI in Hong Kong. Everytime I order they shock me and deliver with customs to my house in the states for $7 in 3-5 days. KF used good quality HiFi components for his amps and these are that!
Address is:
www.diyhifisupply.com

Allynmey

[doctord02]

Hey Wayne, thats stunning! How does she sound now?

[Wayne Alexander]

doctord02, so far the amp is VERY LOUD and quite clean and biting, with lots of sustain, and even a clean note allowed to sustain will go into its overtone. So far the amp is not too dirty with a tele at 1/3 volume, which is all I could do while I finished the main debugging. I can't take it out with the band until the head cab arrives, hopefully soon. I may try it with 6V6's, though I never seem to like those as much as other tubes. I'll post a full report in a week or two after the cabinet arrives and I can take it out.

[Moose]

doctord02, so far the amp is VERY LOUD and quite clean and biting, with lots of sustain, and even a clean note allowed to sustain will go into its overtone.

Well, this is EXACTLY what you should expect. It's not just loud, it's the voicing and the crazy touch sensetivity. Took me a while to get used to that.

You might be surprised at how the 6V6 sound. They don't have the sizzle of the EL34s, but they are still very much rock and/or roll in this circuit. Since the wattage is lower, I find it a little easier to use the amp's distortion with them, though I use an attenuator most of the time even with the 6V6 in there. They are not my favorite wreck power tube, but I do like them.

Anyway, it sounds like you've got a good one going. Be sure to let us know how it sounds at band volume.

[Allynmey]

Hi Wayne, That is a nice build! I can wait to hear some clips!

I'm glad I started this thread...it doesn't seem that we see enough finished builds here. This is like a miniature TW ampfest!

All we need now are clips!!!

Allynmey

[toddyjoe]

I am sincerely impressed with the homebrews I am seeing here. Great work all around! You guys are inspiring me to finally start a Wreck homebrew project... well, at least after I finish the other three projects I am working on. As the man above said, bring on the soundclips!

[ricks57custom]

Well, it's not the whole amp yet but I finally got my board done. The chassis is being made and I hope to get it along with the traniies in the next couple of weeks. I seen to be the only one lately to do Version 4. I'm really happy with the layout of the board even though it's quite different than most everyone else's. I can't wait to finish it!

[tubedogsmith]

Ricks, your work looks very neat! FWIW, your choke resistor can get real hot so you may want to reconsider having it so close to a cap. You also may want to consider grounding your 1st stage filter cap with the preamp grounds if your not already doing that.

[Mark S]

OK I guess if you pull my leg Dave, I'll weigh in. 8^) I just got this build running tonight. It is a variation of the Kelly schem using a choke and Heyboer iron that was actually designed for JTM45. Paul's special OT. All I can say is it really sounds great. Sustain for ever and fantastic clarity with over the top gain. I probobly will add series resistance pre second stage to dump some gain. I have made one under chassis shot. Will include more later. As you can tell I used a very large chassis that I had originally designed to build a multi-channel circuit, so there is certainly plenty of room!

[Mark S]

OK here's a couple more shots at a little higher resolution. I used Sozos and BC/Phoenix metal films, West metal films, a couple Riken carbon films and Mallory filters. I am running quite a low plate voltage now at about 378VDC, but the rest of the rail is just about right on the voltages on the Kelly schem. I am running the JJ 6V6S comfortably at 41ma right now. Might try to see how far I can crank them up. The OT primary is connected at 6K6. I'll get some clips as soon as I can get a recording setup.